Haruto Takahashi Wins First Sawamura Award After 16-Win Season

Hanshin Tigers left-hander Haruto Takahashi has won the 2026 Eiji Sawamura Award, earning Japan’s leading honor for a starting pitcher for the first time after the most complete season of his career.

Nippon Professional Baseball announced the selection on Monday, October 26. Takahashi went 16-3 with a 1.87 ERA in 23 appearances, leading the Central League in wins and winning percentage while helping Hanshin reach the Climax Series.

The numbers behind Takahashi’s Sawamura Award

Takahashi worked 159 innings and struck out 150 batters while issuing only 17 walks. He completed five games, threw four shutouts and allowed nine home runs across 615 batters faced.

His .842 winning percentage was the best in the Central League. Takahashi finished only 0.02 behind Tigers teammate Shoki Murakami for the league ERA title, combining run prevention with the strongest win-loss record among the league’s qualified starters.

The season also represented a major jump in workload. Takahashi made only 13 top-team appearances across 2024 and 2025, but stayed in Hanshin’s rotation throughout 2026 and surpassed 150 innings for the first time.

A comeback season becomes a career landmark

Takahashi described the Sawamura Award as an honor that had seemed almost beyond reach. Speaking through the Tigers’ official website, he said his most memorable outing was his first shutout of the season against the Yomiuri Giants, when he again experienced the satisfaction of finishing all nine innings.

That March 28 performance became the first of three complete-game shutouts in his opening four starts. It established the tone for a season built on command, durability and the ability to work deep into games.

The 30-year-old also credited trainers and physical therapists who supported him through years of injury setbacks. Takahashi said there were several moments when he wondered whether his career might be over, making a full season in the rotation as meaningful to him as the final statistics.

Hanshin ace wants to make 2026 a starting point

Takahashi’s award adds another distinction to a Tigers staff that led several Central League pitching categories. Murakami won the ERA title at 1.85, while Hiroto Saiki led the league with 175 strikeouts.

For Takahashi, the next challenge is sustaining the standard. He said he does not want the achievement to end with one exceptional year, noting that the players a team truly depends on are those who remain productive over multiple seasons.